Red Bull RB6

[raymondu999]

I think it's just me... but that wing looks rather simple for a Newey design, no? But then again I don't think that'll be their final 2010 spec.

[RacingManiac]

Anyone got pics of RB5 and RB6 from straight back? Looks like the drive shaft angle is less extreme now on the RB6, probably indicating a redesigned transaxle, consider they did have drive shaft issue last year it is probably a good change...

[BreezyRacer]

Anyone got pics of RB5 and RB6 from straight back? Looks like the drive shaft angle is less extreme now on the RB6, probably indicating a redesigned transaxle, consider they did have drive shaft issue last year it is probably a good change...

They had driveshaft issues early in the season but after some work it was reliable. I think the reason you're seeing the driveshaft angle change is to make room for an improved/optimal diffuser design that requires some repackaging in the transaxle area.

It will be interesting to see if Newey eventually ties the upper diffuser exits to the lower rear wing, ala McLaren and Renault. Right now the design approach is quite different from the rest of the field in this regard. If you look at those ports it might be possible that RB are starting the port entry very far forward in the floor. Sadly we can not see the most important part of the diffuser now .. the entry.

[djos]

Well it looks like the RB6 is starting to show what it is capable of with boy wonder topping the times yesterday.

I do recall webbo saying a little while back that for the 1st week at least they wouldn't be going for ultimate lap times and would concentrate on overall dev work. Can't find a link ATM tho.

[segedunum]

The RB6 looks good, they've ironed out a handful of gremlins, got some good mileage in and I still don't think we've seen much of the speed of that car. I still haven't seen anything which tells me that they're not the team to beat. We'll get a much better idea at Barcelona.

[Giblet]

We can't go by testing times, unless it's your favorite team, then it is fine.

[segedunum]

If you know what to look for you can certainly discern a reasonable amount from the testing times. What you can't judge is how big the gaps between teams are going to be.

[djos]

We can't go by testing times, unless it's your favorite team, then it is fine.

I think this sums things up nicely:

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns22068.html

The results of the day were a boost for Red Bull, who has yet to have a full day of dry track to test the new RB6, but Vettel focused on long runs, achieving consistent lap times - when the track was relatively stable - in the mid-1m23s bracket in a 23 laps run. A good pace considering he was matching the best time of the session at the time while running with a relatively high fuel load.

[djos]

Update from Day 2:

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns22069.html

Championship contender Sebastian Vettel was third quickest and did a couple of long runs again, on what his final day of testing in Jerez, "Where is the Spanish sunshine?", he asked at the end of the day. "Of course it's the same for everybody so there's no point in complaining but it would have been nice to have a few runs in the dry. We did some long runs when conditions were stable, but then it rained again and there was no point in pressing on. The car feels good, very reactive to the set-up changes we've done, but let's hope Mark (Webber) gets some dry running on the next two days so we can try some new set-ups and validate the new parts we already had here."

[bosanac1]

a better view of the diffuser of red bull from yesterday.


click for high res.

[raymondu999]

That is one excellent butt-shot

[horse]

click for high res.

Cripes! It took me 20 minutes to just see the pick on the forum, I'm not clicking for the high res version!

The exhausts are so low, it's amazing. It's a bit spoiled by that massive orifice, though IMO. How big is that going to get in the hot countries?

[imightbewrong]

never mind

[horse]

never mind

Did I say something wrong?

[Pandamasque]

Talking of the orifice. It is massive, but why? Other teams seem to be ok with a narrow slot. This one looks like there's a jet engine or something.